Man City and the FA Cup Final

Recap the history of Man City and the FA Cup finals from City's first win in 1904 to their latest cup final appearance in 2013. A history of records, heart (and neck) break and ecstasy . Man City and the FA cup final go back over 111 years - here is the history of that relationship.

Man City and the FA Cup Final: A history

Man City and the FA Cup

Being born in the late 70’s, Man City and the FA Cup never went together for me. During the late 80’s, 90’s and noughties we didn’t get anywhere near a semi-final never mind a final. I watched FA cup TV coverage with dread as they replayed Ricky Villa’s goal for Tottenham in the 81 final (I was 1 at the time so didn’t make it to Wembley).

However looking back through Man City’s history the FA cup has provided many great moments!

Man City and the FA Cup 1904

City’s first major honour was the FA Cup in 1904. City beat Bolton at Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup for the first time.

They say we have no history! Yet on the 23rd April 1904:

The cup win was 5 years before United won it, 26 years before Arsenal, 61 years before Liverpool and 66 years before Chelsea. A little reminder for the next time there fans say we have no history!

1933, 1934 and a record attendance

Man City reached FA cup finals in successive seasons in 1933 and 1934. City lost out to Everton in ’33 but beat Portsmouth in ’34 to win the cup for a second time. It was during the ’34 cup campaign that City created a record that still stands to this day.

During the sixth round clash with Stoke City, my Granddad and 84,568 others crammed into Maine Road. The attendance of 84,569 was (and still is) the highest home attendance of any club in the history of English football!

1955, 1956 and a German goalkeeper

With City it seems like you wait ages for a cup final appearance and then two come at the same time! Having reached consecutive appearances in ’33 and ’34, City did the same in ’55 and ’56.

As in ’33/’34 City lost the ’55 cup final (this time to Newcastle) and won the ’56 FA Cup against Birmingham.

The ’56 FA Cup final is best know not for the win but for an injury. With 12 minutes to go City’s legendary German goalkeeper, Bert Trautmann, took a knock to his neck and played on. Finding out a few days later that he had broken his neck!

Quite how Bert Trautmann survived the war is a mystery, never mind how he lived with a broken neck. Whilst he was lucky in survival, he was unlucky with his son being knocked over and killed by a car and refusing a business opportunity that could have made him very rich.

Trautmann: The Biography is a recommended must read for any City fan interested in history. To read the full review click here.

1969 v Leicester

After a wait of 13 years and a dip into the second tier of English football City, under the great Mercer and Allison partnership, returned to the FA Cup final after winning the title the previous season. The great team containing Lee, Bell and Summerbee, won the cup thanks a goal from Neil Young. City went on to win the League Cup and European Cup winner’s cup the following season.

Mancitygifts currently have a 1969 replica shirt signed by Man City holy trinity of Lee, Bell and Summerbee available here.

1981 and Ricky “blooming” Villa

We’ll skip over the 1981 FA Cup final loss to Tottenham – you’ll see the Ricky Villa goal watching almost every FA Cup match on TV. It wasn’t even the best goal of the game!

A long wait! 2011

After a wait of 42 years (between FA Cup wins) and 35 years (between any cup wins!) City won the FA Cup.

As a 31 year old (at the time), I’d never seen City win anything. Ok I’d been to Wembley once and seen the Wembley 99 playoff final win, and I’d watched Bernarbia and Berkovic inspire City under Kevin Keegan to become First Division champions, but I’d not seen a major honour win.

2011 was a great time to be a City fan. The Poznan was at it’s highest, the football was the best I’d ever seen and Yaya Toure was cake obsessed. Plus we beat United in the semi final!

Yaya Toure scored the vital goals in both the semi and then the final win against Stoke. The mocking banner at Old Trafford had to come down.

2013 Wigan and the Wig met the Goat

City had to wait two years before returning to a Wembley FA Cup final this time. Like many City fans I awoke to the news that whatever the result the manager, that had helped transform my losing team into a title winning team, would be sacked. For those who had grown up watching manager after manager come and go it wasn’t news we wanted to hear. Although the season after we won a domestic double!

The match, the atmosphere and the weather were all rubbish and the result was terrible. We lost to lowly Wigan!

The only positive was that I got to meet one of my heroes Shaun Goater before the game!

And so comes the end of Man City and the FA Cup final………………………..for now!

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